Apple becomes UK's second biggest online retailer

The latest IMRG-Hitwise listings claim that Apple has grown to become the second most popular online retailer in the UK.

In the process it knocks Argos down to number three for the first time ever. Online behemoth Amazon UK retains its usual No.1 position, of course.

The tech world mourned the death of Steve Jobs this quarter but Apple goes on, and the launch of the iPhone 4S has helped push Apple to its highest ever ranking in the Hot Shops list,” Hitwise market analyst James Murray stated.

Amazon UK and Apple are now the two biggest brands in online retail, and this Christmas they will go head-to-head in the gadget wars as the Amazon Kindle contends with the Apple iPad. Our data shows that iPad is the more popular gadget online but the Kindle's lower price point may entice shoppers this Christmas." Online shopping is stronger than ever and year-on-year we've seen UK internet visits to the online retail category grow by three per cent, a trend we fully expect to continue throughout Christmas and the January sales period.

We predict that Christmas 2011 will be another record-breaking year for the online retail sector. The UK spent 322 million hours shopping online in October 2011 and this is likely to increase to 350 million hours in December as people shop for their Christmas gifts."